Sunday, July 19, 2015

Understanding and Realisation

Science & Technology has been conquering frontiers for mankind and breaking down all the
obstacles that tends to put us in the darkness. This unrelenting pursuit is
part and parcel of our evolutionary process that will continue till the next
major catastrophe puts mankind to square one once again. According to all the significant
and sensible scriptures in all major civilizations so far, this cycle of mankind
fluctuating between the heights of knowledge and valleys of ignorance is an
eternal one. Science and Spirituality will appear to be in conflict but will
always form the twin tools that will take us up the mountains when the
superstitious religious beliefs and practices pull us down the hills.

It can always be
noticed that while the spiritual & scientific leaders make us comfortable,
their religious counterparts always flourish on our fears. Our progress so far
has always been determined by Science and Spirituality and never by the
Religions. Yet Spirituality is very much connected with Religions just like
milk and ghee. Spirituality is something like a final chapter in a Religious
book. Those religious humans who do not graduate into spirituality have simply
missed the bus. It is something like the unintelligent students who repeatedly
fail to pass the tests and get into to the spiritual classes. Their lack of
intelligence make them stick with the low level religious ideas and tend to
pollute the younger generations who are also following the same path.

The question of
Understanding and Realisation becomes important for those who have graduated into
spiritual pursuits. Science is the best tool for our learning and understanding
of anything in this world. Mankind could not have progressed so far but for
this unique tool that helps us analyse and understand all the phenomena.
Science has helped to reduce Man’s fears exponentially in the brief time frame
so far. But the understanding that has developed so far cannot help us in
completing the evolutionary process. We need the spiritual tool for that. Man
must understand that Realisation is a vital necessity in this inevitable
pursuit of truth. If Understanding comes from outside, Realisation is something
that comes from within. We cannot understand but realise the taste of salt or
sugar. Sooner this happens it is better for anyone who wish to complete a life
worthy of living.

But very rarely
we do come across a convergence of understanding and realization in unique individuals.
Perhaps the case of Srinivasan Ramanujam was one such. But quite unfortunately, like
all such extra-ordinary human beings, his life was also too short.